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"Saying 'I notice you're a nerd' is like saying, 'Hey, I notice that you'd rather be intelligent than be stupid, that you'd rather be thoughtful than be vapid, that you believe that there are things that matter more than the arrest record of Lindsay Lohan. Why is that?' In fact, it seems to me that most contemporary insults are pretty lame. Even 'lame' is kind of lame. Saying 'You're lame' is like saying 'You walk with a limp.' Yeah, whatever, so does 50 Cent, and he's done all right for himself."— John Green

Emmie O’Brien is a former good girl now on the fringe. She spent a crazy year involved with Nick, her mom’s drug dealer; after her arrest she was lucky to go back to her old life. But she’s haunted by the choices she made—first, to be with Nick, and then later, to testify against him.

Max Shepherd is a senior varsity hockey player with serious anger issues. His grief over the death of his girlfriend causes him to see injustice wherever he looks. When they meet in community service, Max is drawn to Emmie’s calm energy, but Emmie knows better than to get too close to anyone.

When friends of Nick show up seeking revenge, Emmie is forced to come to terms with her past, while Max has to control his protective instincts. They must trust one another, especially when Emmie’s situation takes a dangerous turn.

While Cold Hard Truth isn't going to stand out as a shining star among YA contemporary romance, it was a solid book full of emotional situations and intense issues. Definitely one that is on the older YA side, so while it is a romance, it is not super cheesy as younger YA romances can be.Emmie and Max, as the synopsis indicates, come from troubled pasts. Those pasts influence their future, especially on Emmie's part, as her fex-boyfriend is the one who really landed Emmie is trouble. So she is hesitant to pursue anything, but as she gets to know Max, the relationship develops.Emmie was my favorite character. She was fiesty and while she made bad decisions and was scared in different situations, she pushed through to come out the other side. Max, I felt, was your typical alpha romance lead, being a bit too pushy for my tastes when his and Emmie's relationship was starting. But ultimately it is Emmie's choice, and she isn't tricked or pressured into doing anything she doesn't want.Overall, this is a solid YA romance. It was a fast read, and the situation with Emmie's mom, which started all her trouble in the first place, is well resolved by the end of the book. If you're a fan of YA romance, you'll like Cold Hard Truth.

Final Rating

About the Author

Anne Greenwood Brown lives in Minnesota with her patient husband and three hilarious children.She is the author of the following Young Adult novels: Cold Hard Truth (contemporary/romance); Girl Last Seen (contemporary/suspense); and the paranormal mermaid trilogy: Lies Beneath, Deep Betrayal, Promise Bound.She also writes adult romance under the name A.S. Green.